Mechanical toy



Patented .lune 23, 1942 i nire STATS rthl'i aaien FFICE MECHANCAL TOY Arthur W. Swenson, Rockford, Ill.

Application November 30, 1939, Serial No. 306,880

(Cl. i- 129) 19 Claims.

jumping rope and-the parts of the toy figure as-Y v sociated therewith.

Another object is to provide for turning the simulated rope and imparting the necessary motions to the toy gure by means of a novel reciprocatory actuator.

Still another object is to provide a toy of the type set forth embodying a novel actuating mechanism of such character that a rotatable member, simulating a skipping rope, is rotated by means of a reciprocating actuator, the arrangement also being preferably such that the actuator serves to reciprocate in timed relation a doll or figure, to simulate the jumping motions of a child skipping rope.

A further object is to provide for actuation of the various parts by the intermittent depression of a finger piece.

The invention also resides in the novel structural character of the actuating mechanism which simplifies the toy and contributes to its very low cost of manufacture.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a general perspective View of the improved mechanical toy illustrating its manner of use.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical transverse tional View of the toy.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the toy with parts thereof broken away to show the interiorly located actuating mechamsm.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, I have shown in the drawing and will herein describe in detail thepreferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that I do not intend to limit the invention bysuch disclosure but aim to cover al1 modifications and alternative arrangements falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the exemplary construction, the toy includes a hollow iigure Il! suitably shaped and decorated to represent a girl. In brief, the arrangement is SeC- such that when an actuating finger piece II is intermittently depressed the ligure I0 will jump up and down and at thesame time a member I2, simulating a skipping rope, will rotate about the figure, the arms and legs also being moved in timed relation with the rope.' In this way, the toy simulates, in a manner very intriguing to a youngster, the appearance and action of a child skipping rope. To vary the operation and add to the fun, the skipping can be speeded up, slowed down, or reversed by correspondingly timing the impulses given to the actuator mecha-` nism through the finger piece II. s Y

To support the figure lil for its vertical reciprocation or jumping motion, itis fixed to the upper end (Fig. 3) of an upright actuator bar Id, which projects upwardly through the hollow ligure. The upper end I5 of the bar is interlocked with the body of the figure il] and concealed with the separately formed head Iia. The bar I4 is located between and guided for vertical reciprocation by a pair of rigid sheet metal strips or uprights I6 having outwardly flared upper end portions Ita (Fig. 3) connected by. a pin I'l.` The latter projects through a complemental vertical guide slot I8 in the bar Ill forming a pin and slot connection that holds the bar I4 against edgewise displacement. It will be observed from Fig. 1 that the supporting and actuating mechanisms are disposed between the legs 28 of the figure I0 and thus partially concealed so that the figure appears to bestanding naturally on a base or platform I9. v j

The uprights IB-.are stationarily mounted on a suitable basey I9 with their lower ends projecting through an apertureZIl (Fig. 2) and bent laterally as indicated at Iiib for attachment to the base as by spot welding.

The simulated rope I2 comprises a piece of Wire in the shape of a vU having a base I2a and two arms I2b projecting laterally from the base at an angle greater than ninety degrees with their end portions I2c curved inwardly toward each yother to bring their ends into alinement immediately` adjacent opposite sides of the bars IiiA and beneath the legs 28 of the gure when the rope is in vertical position (Fig. 2).

Of particular importance in the present toy is the mechanism by means of which reciprocating motion of the actuator bar I4 is utilized to impart a rotary motion to the rope I2. This mechanism is a very simple and cheap Scotch yoke comprising a horizontal slot 22 in the actuator bar coacting with a crank 2I on the shaft formed by the base I2a of the rope I2. 'I'he crank is bent from the shaft I2a which is disposed horizontally and journaled in the ends Ita of the supporting uprights IIS with the outer ends projecting through vertical slots 23 in the sides of the iigure body. As the actuator bar Hl is reciprocated, the crank loop 2| rides back and forth in the slot 22, rotating the rope I2 through a full revolution for each complete reciprocation of the actuator bar. By varying the position of the rope when actuation of the bar I I is initiated, the rope may be started in either direction.

By virtue of the space between the ends |2C of the rope, complete and continuous rotation of the rope is permitted without interference by the uprights I6 and the vertical actuator bar I (Fig. 2). Because of the flat and compact character of the supporting bars and the reciprocatory character of the actuator, this break in the rope is small, however, and can hardly be seen at all when the rope is rotating rapidly so that it does not detract from the illusion created. Desirably, the side arms of the member I2 are bowed outward, as indicated, so as to conform to the configuration a regular rope assumes in use. The location of the actuator bar I4 between the stationary uprights I6 further adds to the ilusion of an animated figure since the movement of the actuator bar when so located can hardly be seen.

Actuation of the bar III may be effected in various ways depending on the character of the base I9 which is employed. For example, if the base is arranged to be held in ones hand, provision would be made for reciprocating the bar by the movement of the thumb or other digits of the hand. In the present instance, however, the base is adapted to rest on a horizontal supporting surface during operation of the toy and therefore is constructed as an inverted sheet metal box of generally rectangular shape. The bar |13 is actuated by periodic depression of an operating member which may be engaged conveniently by the forenger of the users hand located as shown in Fig. 1. To complete a connection from the iinger piece to the actuator bar I5, a second actuator bar 24 underlies the top of the base IS (Fig. 3) with its rear end 25 projecting through a complement-al hole in the end wall at the base and bent downwardly thereby forming a pivotal connection. The forward or free end of the bar 24 is connected to the lower end of the upright actuator bar I4 with a sufficiently loose connection to permit rectilinear movement of the bar I6 and oscillatory movementof the bar 24. For this purpose, the reduced lower end of the bar If extends through a registering hole in the forward end of the bar 24 and a transverse pin 26 (Fig. 2) maintains the connection. The n ger piece II is spot welded to an intermediate portion of the actuator bar 2d adjacent the latters pivoted end and is exposed through a slot 21 in the top wall of the base I9.

In order to further simulate the appearance of a child skipping rope, movable arms and legs are provided on the figure Iii and arranged to be moved in timed relation with the skipping rope member I2. For this purpose, jointed arms 2l are pivoted at 21a to the shoulders of the Figure IB. The lower ends of these arms are pivotally connected to the outer end portions of the horizontal shaft |23. As the ngure Ii! moves up and down with the actuator bar I4, the shoulder pivots Ela are correspondingly raised and lowered. Although the hand pivots remain stationary, the arms are alternately exed and distended.

Similarly, sheet metal legs 28 are pivoted on a pin 29 fixed between the walls of the skirt portion of the ligure I0 and to the actuator bar I4, the pin being extended through complemental vertical slots ad in the stationary uprights IS. From the front of these legs project integral lugs or abutments 3| (Fig. 3) beneath laterally extending lugs 32 on the uprights I6. As the figure I0 moves upward, the lugs 3| contact the stationary lugs 32 so that the legs 28 are swung rearwardly from the position of Fig. l to that of Fig. 3. Then, as the gure I0 descends again, the legs 28 are gravitationally returned to their vertical position, since the lugs 3| move downward away from the lugs 32. rIfhe cooperating lugs 3|, 32 and pivotal support for the legs are efiectually hidden from view beneath the skirt of the gure l0 in the arrangement shown. The crank 2| is angularly positioned relative to they rope I2 so as to be disposed substantially in the plane of the U and project from the shaft |221 in a direction opposite to the arms |21. By virtue of this arrangement, the rope will pass beneath the iigure while the bar is approaching and receding from its uppermost position. At this time, the legs 28 will be swung backwardly as shown in Fig. 3. Such timing between the leg and rope movements makes the rope skipping action very realistic.

Operation of the toy is effected by depressing the nger piece II periodically and in timed relation to the rotation of the simulated rope I2. Such depression of the linger piece oscillates the bar 2d downward about its pivot at 25 and this bar in turn draws down the vertical actuator bar Il. Motion is thereby simultaneously imparted to the ngure Ii), the skipping rope member I2, and to the arms and legs 2 and 28. Thus, the figure I9, being fixed to the bar I4, moves down with it while the arms 21 are-'ilexed and the legs 28 are permitted to swing downwardly and forwardly to normal position (from the position of Fig. 3 to that of Fig. l) all as previously described. As to the skipping rope I2, if the crank loop 2| is slightly forward (as viewed in Fig. 3) of its dead center position then the crank will ride forward in the slot 22 as the bar I4 descends and the rope I2 will rotate in a counterclockwise direction. As the arms of the member I2 reach their overhead position, they swing on at least slightly past dead center due to their momentum. Then, the weight of the free end of the rope, plus the momentum, carries the rope on down in front of the gure i@ to complete a full revolution. In this part of the revolution, the rope I2 becomes in eiect the driving member of the mechanism and the crank 2| thrusts the actuator bar I4 upward, the nger piece having been freed by the operator after its initial depression. The operator then redepresses the finger piece and the cycle is repeated as often as desired. Practice of only a minute or two is required to get the rhythm of the device for actuating the finger piece to operate the toy for smooth and continuous rotation of the skipping rope. By gradually varying the periodicity with which the finger piece is actuated, the speed of rotation of the rope can be increased or diminished as desired.

It will be apparent that the rope I2 can be revolved in either direction desired, the controlling factor being the location of the crank loop 2| with respect to dead center when the operation is started. As was previously noted, if the crank is slightly forward of its dead center position at the start, the rope will revolve in a counterclockwise direction. Similarly, if the crank is located slightly to the rear of its dead center position, the rope will revolve in the opposite or clockwise direction.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a mechanical toy, the combination of a gure, a vertically reciprocable actuator bar projecting upwardly into the interior of said iigure from the bottom thereof, said actuator bar being transversely slotted at a point within the figure, a U-shaped member arranged with the base of the U extending through said slot and rotatable about an axis transverse to the figure, the arms of the U being arranged to turn vertically at the sides of the figure in the manner of a skipping rope, the base portion of the U having an offset crank loop therein engageable with the sides of the slot in the actuator bar, said U-shaped member having a rest positi-on with its arms hanging downwardly, and manually operable means for intermittently drawing the actuator bar downward to swing said Ushaped member from said rest position through a half revolution by the action of said crank and slot l connection, the subsequent gravitational descent of the arms of the U to their rest position serving to complete a full revolution for the U-shaped member.

2. In a mechanical toy, the combination of a vertically reciprocable actuator bar in the form of an upstanding sheet metal strip, a hollow iigure telescoped over the upper portion of said actuator bar and fixed thereto, a U-shaped member, means rotatably supporting the base pcrl tion of said U-shaped member for rotation about an axis passing transversely through the figure, the arms of the U being swingable vertically at the sides of the figure in the manner of a skipping rope, said actuator bar being transversely slotted to receive the base portion of said U-shaped member and the latter having an offset crank loop therein engageable with the walls of said slot to complete therewith a Scotch yoke connection, and manually operable means .i

for reciprocating said actuator bar.

3. In a mechanical toy, the combination of a hollow figure, a vertically reciprocable actuator bar projecting upwardly into said gure and supporting the latter, a slot in said actuator bar within the gure, a horizontal rotatable shaft extending through the slot and said figure, vertically swingable arms on the ends of said shaft exteriorly of said ligure and shaped to simulate a jumping rope, and a crank on said shaft engageable with the sides of said slot to form therewith a Scotch yoke drive mechanism for rotating said shaft and arms during reciprocation of said bar.

4. In a mechanical toy, the combination of a gure, a driven member representing a skipping rope carried by a shaft extending transversely through the figure and rotatable about said figure, an actuating member reciprocable transversely of said shaft within the figure, and means including a Scotch yoke mechanism connecting said actuating member and said shaft within the iigure and operable to rotate the shaft and member during reciprocation of the actuating member.

5. In a mechanical toy, the combination of a figure, means supporting said figure for vertical reciprocation to simulate a jumping motion, a rotary shaft within the gure, a member driven by said shaft and representing a skipping rope rotatable about the iigure externally thereof, and means including a manually operable reciprocatory actuating member having an operative connection with said shaft within the figure and operable to rotate said shaft and reciprocate said gure in timed relation.

6. In a mechanical toy, the combination of a figure, a rotary mechanical driven member representing a skipping rope and. rotatable about the figure, said rope comprising separated parts spaced apart at the center of the rope, and means including a manually operable reciprocatory actuating member for rotating said driven member.

7 In a toy of the type described, the combination of a vertically reciprocable figure, jointed arms loosely pivote'd on the shoulders of the figure, a horizontal shaft rotatable in and extending transversely through the lower ends of said arms and said gure, the latter being vertically slotted in the side walls thereof to receive said shaft, means on the outer ends of said shaft simulating a skipping rope, and means for rotating said driven member and vertically reciprocating the figure in timed relation whereby to turn said rope and flex said arms.

8. In a mechanical toy the combination of a figure, means including a stationary support projecting upwardly beneath the iieure and supporting the same for vertical reciprocation, legs loosely pivoted on the lower portion of the figure and depending therefrom alongside said support, and means including cooperating abutments on said sup-port and said legs for oscillating the legs to simulate a skipping motion upon reciproca tion of the figure with respect to said support.

9. In a mechanical toy the combination of a girls figure having a skirt thereon, a stationary vertical supporting member projecting upwardly into the interior of said skirt, means for reciprocating the figure cn said support, a pair of legs projecting downwardly below said skirt, means pivotally supporting said legs, and means including cooperating abutments on said support and on said legs for causing the latter to swing with respect to the iigure upon reciprocation of the latter.

i0. In a mechanical toy of the type described, the combination of an upright stationary supporting member, a ligure, means guiding said iigure for vertical. reciprocatory movement on said support, a rotary mechanical driven member representing a skipping rope and rotatable about the figure, a pair of legs pivoted to swing loosely beneath the figure, and means including cooperatingr abutments on said support and said legs arranged for alternative engagement and disengagement during the reciprocation of said figure for swinging said legs in timed relation with the iigure reciprocation, and means for rotating said driven member and reciprocating the figure in timed relation.

11. A mechanical toy of the type described comprising, in combination, a base having an upstanding support thereon, a figure vertically reciprocable on said upstanding support, a rotary mechanically driven member representing a skipping rope and rotatable about the gure, an actuator finger piece on the base, and means operable in response to periodic depressions of said finger piece for reciprocating the figure and rotating said driven member in timed relation.

12. A mechanical toy of the type described comprising, .in combination, an elongated hollow base, a supporting upright fixed near one end l a vertically reciprocable actuator bar projecting upwardly into the interior of the gure alongside said supporting upright for reciprocating the figure and rotating said driven member, a second actuator bar enclosed within said base and pivotally connected theretoat the end remote from said supporting upright, the free end of said second actuator bar being connected to the lower end of the rst mentioned actuator bar, said base being apertured intermediate the ends of the second actuator bar, and a nger piece projecting through the base aperture for engagement by a user to depress periodically the second actuator bar and thereby reciprocate the first mentioned actuator bar.

13. A toy oi the character described having, in combination, two vertical bars disposed side by side, one being stationary and the other reciprocable, a toy gure supported by said one of said bars and having legs hanging downwardly on opposite sides of said bars, a shaft extending horizontally through said figure, means operable during reciprocation of said reciprocable member to rotate said shaft, a simulated skipping rope comprising members projecting laterally from. the ends of said shaft and then reversely toward each other to position their ends in substantial alinement and immediately adjacent opposite sides of said bars when the members are hanging downwardly, the members being of suihcient length to pass over the head of said figure and beneath said legs during rotation of said shaft,

14. A toy of the character described having, in combination, a vertical bar, a toy gure supported by said bar and having legs hanging downwardly on opposite sides of said bar, a rotary shaft extending horizontally through said iigure, a simulated skipping rope comprising members projecting laterally from the ends of said shaft and then reversely toward each other to position their ends in substantial alinement and immediately adjacent opposite sides of said bar when the members are hanging downwardly, the members being of suliicient length to pass over the head of said iigure and beneath said legs during rotation of said shaft.

15. A toy of the character described having, in

aasvprzocombination, a hollow toy ngure, a member supporting said gure and projecting upwardly into the gure, means for reciprocating said member vertically, means extending through said ligure and providing a simulated skipping rope, and means within said gure operable during reciprocation of said member to rotate said rope and alternately raise and lower said figure.

16. A toy of the character described having, in combination, a hollow toy figure, a member projecting upwardly into the figure, means for reciprocating said member vertically, means eX- tendingthrough said ligure and providing a simulated skipping rope, and means within said gure and operable during reciprocation of said member to rotate said rope.

17. A toy having an articulated rotary member, a reciprocatory actuating member having a Scotch yoke connection with said rotary member, and manually operable means depressible periodically to move said actuating member in one direction and cause said rotary member to turn through a half revolution, the accumulated momentum of the parts carrying the rotary member through the remainder of the revolution whereby the speed of rotation of the rotary member is controlled by the periodicity of depression of the manually operable means.

i8. A toy comprising a hollow figure having an articulated rotary member, a reciprocatory actuating member within said gure, means within said iigure converting reciprocatory motion of said actuating member into rotary motion of said rotary member, and manually operable depressible periodically to move said actuating member in o e direction and cause said rotary member to turn through successive revolutions.

19. A toy of the character described having, in combination, an upright post, a hollow toy nur@ mounted on said post for vertical reciprocation, a member projecting upwardly into said figure and reciprocable along said post, means for reciprocating said member vertically, means extending through said gure and providing a simulated skipping rope, and means within said gure operable during reciprocation of said member to convert the reciprocatory motion of the member into rotary motion of said rope.

ARTHUR W. SVVENSON. 

